Strike Three, You're Out!
by Azuki Bean
Summary: Every sport has a set of rules. It tells you what you are allowed to do, and what you are not. But when there are no rules to this game called love, how are you supposed to play?
1. Rainout

The aluminum vibrated in my hands as the ball ricocheted off the bat with a thundering crack. With mud jammed in between the spikes of my cleats and the sun beating on my skin, screams shot out from the bleachers for me to run. Lunging forward, I slammed one foot down after the other, pushing myself off the ground as I rounded first base and headed straight for second. Adrenaline pumped through my veins and the racing blood muffled my hearing. _Where to look?_ A quick glance to the outfield revealed the ball was rapidly honing in.

I might not make it.

"Down!" someone shouted, and I immediately flopped onto my stomach with arms outstretched as I slid over gravel into second base.

"Go third Himari-chan! She fumbled the ball!"

Stumbling onto my feet I made headway towards third base, throwing myself to the ground once again just as the ball made a loud _smack_ into the baseman's glove.

The players on the sidelines roared as one of my teammate's stepped over home plate. I, too, pumped a fist into the air. Down by two, we had just scored another run for the team. With newfound confidence, I then readied myself to take my lead, that is, until I felt a droplet of water land on my wrist. Confused, I turned my head to the sky as another drop landed on my nose. Then the clouds began to shower.

Shrills sounded throughout the field as players and onlookers collected their things and scampered towards shelter. In this kind of weather, there was no way they would be able to continue the game. The neighborhood would have to gather and play another day.

"Himari-san! Let's go!" a young voice called as my hand was grabbed and tugged out of the playground, across the street, and underneath the awning of a shop.

Out of breath and sopping wet, I rested my hands on my knees and watched the droplets of water drip from my purple fringes. In between deep gulps of air, I asked the figure beside me, "They never said the weather was going to be like this, right Kisumi?"

"Well, during summer the weather can get pretty unpredictable in Iwatobi. But you did really well out there, Himari-san! No wonder you're on the softball team."

 _Himari-san?_ That was not the voice of my cousin. Slowly raising my head, I was met with a pair of gentle emerald eyes. The voice was an octave deeper, height a couple inches taller, but the face was definitely the same.

"Makoto?" The blush dusting his cheeks at the lack of honorific was a dead giveaway. I exclaimed again, "Makoto?! It's been a while!"

His lips spread into a genuine smile. "The last time we saw each other was spring break, huh?"

"Yeah, I would've hung out with you guys more this summer but I had to stay back in Tokyo because my team wanted to practice. Too bad we didn't win nationals this year. But oh my Gooood you got so much taller! What are they feeding you?!" Seeing him wear an uneasy grin made me giggle. "I kid, I kid. Anyways, what are you doing here? Where's Haruka?"

"Probably at home. I was actually out running errands for my mom when I spotted Kisumi in the stands. His pink hair is kinda hard to miss."

I smiled at the image of my cousin bouncing on the balls of his feet, hollering in the bleachers, with strands of sakura-shaded hair flopping around his forehead. Although I inherited the same violet eyes as him, the odd pink do which ran in the family skipped me apparently; my genes opting for an almost black, dark purple.

"I think Kisumi went to get your stuff by the way," Makoto continued. "How have you been doing, Himari-san? Summer break in Tokyo usually end around this time right? Will you be heading back to your mom's soon?"

" _Himari_ ," I corrected. "And yeah. I'm actually heading back later this afternoon."

"Alone?" A hint of worry crept its way into his voice.

" _Yes_ , Makoto. You're still ever the worry wart. I can handle a train ride no problem! You know I do this every break."

"I know, I know. It's a habit," he said with a teasing smile.

"Anyways, how has high school been treating you? You just started the second term, right?"

"It's been great. My classmates are all nice and the campus is a decent size. The fields are large and tended to. The curriculum isn't that bad either."

"By the way, Kisumi told me. Are you really not planning to do swimming again this year? It's not too late to join. You really liked it back in middle school."

"Mm. Yeah. Some things happened. I... I have to take care of my siblings so it's been kind of busy at home."

"Hmm." I pursed my lips. "Are you sure?"

Makoto paused. Then nodded his head once, avoiding eye contact. Something was troubling him but it wasn't my place to pry so I left it alone.

"Well, whatever you say, I guess." After an awkward beat, I decided it was best to change the subject. "Hey, my school is having a Cultural festival some time this October. Why don't you and Haruka come? It'll be fun! I'll force Kisumi to come along too-"

"Ehh what's this," a nasally voice interrupted as a soaked duffel was tossed at my feet. "The prince trying to save the princess? Or in this case, should I say a _muddy toad?_ "

Violet eyes the same shade as my own, with pink hair matter to his scalp, along with a mischievous grin, eyed my completely bedraggled form. My brows furrowed in irritation.

"If anyone is going to need saving it's going to be you Kisumi-Sakura-hime!" I started chasing him in circles prepared to tackle him.

"You guys," Makoto sighed in exasperation.

* * *

After a good couple minutes of chatting, Makoto mentioned that his mom would be needing the groceries soon for dinner. Bidding goodbye with a promise that we would hang out next break, he dashed out from under the awning with grocery bags in tow. Kisumi and I waited a bit longer for the rain to die down before heading back to my dad's.

With a lanky figure, glasses perched on the tip of his nose and a slight pink stubble growing beneath, my father sighed the moment he saw Kisumi and me walk through the door. A carefree character, Dad didn't care much for his outward appearance. The only time he ever dressed up was when his editor was coming over or he had to attend a business meeting with the company. Most of the time he spent cooped up indoors illustrating manga. But dirt and grime was something he did not tolerate in this household. He liked his cleanliness.

"Wait. Don't move another muscle."

We stood in the genkan, watching my dad travel back and forth before procuring a bundle of newspapers. One by one he laid them out, up the stairs, to the door of the bathroom. Beside the door, he set down a few more sheets.

"Walk on the newspaper only. Someone get in the bath now, please. Whoever is waiting please wait outside here," he said gesturing to the square of newspapers by the door.

"Uncle! You're hilarious," Kisumi exclaimed as he slipped off his shoes and stepped on to the newspaper. "Himari! I'll be using the bathroom first!"

"Hey! No fair," I shouted, kicking off my shoes to chase after him.

"No running you kids!"

* * *

Standing in front of the train station underneath the safety of our umbrellas, the three of us-Dad, Kisumi, and me-prepared to say our goodbyes.

"Make sure you guys don't get caught up in a storm again alright? Summer weather can get quite unpredictable," Dad warned.

"We know," the two of us sing-songed.

"You have all your luggage, right? You didn't leave anything behind, Himari?"

"I don't think so."

"Alright. Do good in school, then. It's about to be fall soon so make sure you wear a jacket." I watched Dad in amusement as he scratched at his beard while thinking of what else to say. "Make sure you eat three meals a day. Stay away from boys. Call me once in a while. Uhh, that's about it. I'll see you during winter break. Take care you two. Kisumi, make sure she transfers to the Tokyo line alright."

"Will do, Uncle."

"I can handle things just fine, Dad," I said with a sigh yet did nothing to mask the smile plastered on my face.

"Hey, I'm just doing my job as a dad. Now off you go."

Waving goodbye, Kisumi and I entered the station.

All jokes and pranks aside, Kisumi was a reliable person and my closest family member aside from my parents. Ever since my parents had separated during my last year at Sano Elementary, to avoid a custody battle it was decided that I would spend my school years in Tokyo with my mother where the education was supposedly better, and I would spend holiday breaks in my father's hometown of Iwatobi. Kisumi was my rock and the only stable thing that did not change during that time of turmoil. Because the majority of our elementary friends either left town, lost contact, or went to study abroad, he kept me sociable by introducing his middle school mates and always inviting me places so I wouldn't be cooped up alone. That's how I got to meet Makoto, Haruka, and the others. Only this last spring break I was unable to visit due to my club commitments. Otherwise, it was always fun being with him.

"Hey Kisumi, so all your friends ended up going to different high schools, huh?"

"Yeah. But I think Haru and Makoto both go to Iwatobi High together. Why? What's up?"

"Nothing. I just realized you won't be going to school with any of your old classmates. Aren't you a little lonely?"

"Well, I would be lying if I said I wasn't. But Asahi and I still chat on a daily basis even though he's out in Kyushu. And besides, sometimes the nervousness of making new friends is a little fun. Tokyo is _way_ bigger which means more people and-" A childish tune playing throughout the station on the intercom made Kisumi break away from the conversation. "Hey, your train is coming. Better get ready."

The train came at a slow roll into the station and stopped with a wheeze. Letting Kisumi know that I would text him when I arrived at Tokyo, I gave him a quick hug before boarding the North-bound train. We waved to each other until he disappeared from view.

* * *

 **Note: The academic year at a Japanese school normally begins in April and ends the following March. Summer (late July - late August), winter (late December to early January), and spring (late February - early April) breaks are roughly a month each.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Reviews are love~**


	2. Out of Left Field

High school was supposed to be one of the happiest moments of my life. For many, it represented the peak of their youth. The entrance ceremony was probably what incoming students looked forward to the most. In the refreshing month of April, with cherry blossoms floating in the spring wind, it marked the beginning of new classes, new experiences, new friends, and new romances. For many, it was the first true step into adulthood.

My first term was good. It was great. I made friends, joined the school's softball team. We even made it to the district's championships although we didn't succeed in nationals. But I only had one problem: I had a record of running late. The first day of the second term was no exception.

With no time to wait at the bus stop, I sprinted to school straight from my apartment complex; a forty-minute walk that I would now have to cut down in half with a mad dash. When the school gates came in to view, I kicked up my knees and pumped my arms harder. My nostrils flared and my cheeks were undoubtedly pink from being chaffed by the wind. I imitated the look of a bull about to burrow head-first into the matador.

"Tokitsu High School" the gate read in resilient iron letters, a school known for not only academics but elite sports clubs. Most students enrolled at this school for that particular reason. The gym was large and the puddle-ridden yard was even larger, which made me falter and groan before picking up the pace with an especially hard push off the ground.

It was a curse I tell you. Ranging from five minutes to an hour, I was late at least once a week without fail. My mom got up hours before me for work so there was no one to wake me up at home. The alarm clock was useless since I always somehow managed to press snooze unconsciously. Occasionally my friends would call me but they were busy enough with their own morning routines. My homeroom teacher even arranged a conference with my mother to discuss the problem. Despite the scolding and discipline done at home, the problem simply could not be fixed. I wasn't a terrible student, so my teacher didn't give me such as hard time so long as my performance didn't drop below average. In short, I had a problem that no one knew how to fix, so we went along with the next best option: we decided to ignore to the problem, as bad as that was.

"Himari, what are you doing?" a voice hissed. Snapping my head up to the sound, I found a head with choppy brown hair and warm eyes peeking out from a window on the second floor. It was my friend, Yoshioka Futaba. "The bell already rang. You're late!"

"I know that!" I shouted back at her in exasperation.

"Then hurry and get your butt over here! Nakanishi-sensei isn't here yet so you might still have a chance."

I gave her a firm nod and prepared myself for a hard sprint once again when a shiver ran through my spine. I immediately flicked my eyes to the window that Futaba had been leaning out of, but it was already shut as she had returned to her seat. I glanced around the yard. For some odd reason, it felt as if I was being watched. Looking at the wall on the opposite end, I swore I caught a glimpse of eyes as cold and blue as the Antarctic Ocean. However, when I tried squinting, the image disappeared as quickly as it came.

* * *

I was quietly struggling to stifle my heavy gasps for air. No doubt my hair looked as if I had taken a stroll through a tornado, and my blazer appeared as if someone had attempted to rip it off of me. A couple snickers and giggles were heard as I entered the classroom, making my already red face even redder. I rushed to fix myself.

"Glad you could join the party," Futaba whispered with a teasing smile.

I glared at her. "Shut up."

In the beginning, we weren't always like this. At one point, we had been polite and friendly with one another. But after Futaba and I had grown closer over the past four months through class projects, presentations, and study groups, as well as through softball which we were both coincidentally a part of, you could say that she was my closest friend in high school.

Our homeroom teacher walked in shortly afterward and class carried on as normal. Lunch began at noon.

"Hey, Futaba. You packed a bento? I'm going down to the canteen to buy some bread. Was there anything you wanted?"

"If they have the mascot bread, get me one of those, please. I'll eat it before practice."

I grinned and waved before taking off. Hopping down the steps two at a time, my jaw dropped at the war zone occurring between the students. There was a frenzy over melon bread, onigiri, sandwiches. Coins were practically flying overhead. The competitive spirit of student-athletes radiated off of the horde. I groaned at the daunting sight. There was no way I was going to be able to get in there. I forgot this always happened on the first day of the new term. I seriously should have packed a bento the night before.

Dejected, I turned and walked down the hall to locate a vending machine. At least a sugary beverage would keep my blood sugar levels up until after school. Finding one in a particularly deserted hallway, I pushed coins into the slot and considered my options. I loved yogurt drinks with a passion. I used to have one almost every day after school in elementary on my way home. Unfortunately, this machine didn't offer any. Considering my other choices, I decided a cola was the next best thing. Pressing the button, I waited in anticipation as the aluminum can was slowly pushed forward before falling with a clank. My arm was halfway in the bottom compartment when my entire body suddenly froze.

"I... I like you Yamazaki-kun. W-Will you please go out with me?"

Yamazaki-kun? That name sounded oddly familiar.

And then it suddenly dawned on me. This was a confession. I wasn't supposed to be here. I wasn't supposed to be hearing this. But I was one-hundred-percent unable to move from my position. Every fiber of my body went stiff. As much as I didn't want to, the only thing I could do was listen in. A low mumble was heard from what I assumed to be Yamazaki-kun, and soon enough light footsteps were heard as a girl came dashing out of the empty classroom, most likely in tears. She ran right by me without even stopping.

"Oi. Bobcut."

Crap. I couldn't move.

Heavier footsteps were traveling towards me at a leisure pace.

Crap crap crap. My mind was working at the speed of light, forcing the gears to get in place. Although I couldn't remember the exact details since I was never early enough to hear the full morning announcements, if my memory served me correctly I did remember a Yamazaki being mentioned as a member of the swim team who recently made it to nationals. And if this Yamazaki-san was the same Yamazaki-san on the said team, this meant that he currently ranked among the top ten in the country for butterfly. And if this Yamazaki-san was indeed the same Yamazaki-san who had a secret cult of fangirls that wouldn't hesitate to cut someone if they had even bothered to look in his general direction, this put me in a very, very scary position.

A shadow loomed over me.

I was screwed.

"I-I-I didn't see anything!" I shouted as I bolted up with my back facing him. I had no intention of showing him my face. The last thing I needed was for him, or his fan club, to peg me as his prey for the rest of my high school career.

"Turn around," the voice instructed.

No way in a million years was that happening. Thinking of a quick way to divert his attention, my eyes naturally turned towards the cola in my hands.

"Um...Um... You can have this," I said shoving the soda can towards him before pivoting on my heel. "Don't mind me. I'll be on my way."

"Hey. That's not what-"

" _BYEEEE_ ," I shouted before booking it down the hall.

I was so so so very tired of running. I already ran enough this morning. Heck, I already run enough on a daily basis. My lungs were on fire as I was internally screaming to release all the pent-up stress. Exercising when I was this hungry and low energy was definitely not good for my physical health. He probably wanted me to take this secret to the grave. If not, his cult of fangirls would make sure I stayed silent. I'm. Seriously. Going. To. Die.

Turning the corner, I lunged up the flight of stairs, made a sharp right, then left, before diving into my classroom and ducking under my desk.

"Looks like Wakamiya-san is running again," a classmate said with a laugh.

"Hey, Wakamiya-san," a male student hollered, "what trouble did you get into this time?"

I peeped my head over the desk surface to shush them before retreating. It's not like I was going around asking for trouble all the time. It's just that trouble always seemed to find me.

"Himari, what's going on," Futaba asked. "And where's your lunch?"

"It's a long story," I whispered. "But let's just say that I witnessed the swim team's Yamazaki-san being confessed to and he might be on a rampage right now?"

"What?" Futaba asked in disbelief, reeling back in her chair. "The Yamazaki Sousuke coming after you? Why would he?"

"Wait. What did you say his name was? _Sousuke?_ "

"Uhh yeah, Sousuke. But why would he be coming after you? I know he gets confessed to quite often but he's pretty well known for not caring about that kind of stuff so I don't think you should worry..."

Futaba's voice faded in with the rest of the classroom ambiance as I slowly rose from under my desk and settled into my seat. I only knew one Yamazaki Sousuke, and he was one of my elementary friends that only lived in my memories, before my parents had gotten a divorce. We spent so many days after school together, buying yogurt drinks and colas from the local mom-and-pop shop, and parting ways in front of my house while he continued down the road to the community pool with Rin. The Sousuke of my memories was a boy who always wore a permanent frown, yet had the sweetest smile. He liked working independently and avoided group work whenever he had the chance, yet he never hesitated to help someone in need. But that was back home. This was Tokyo. What was he doing here?

Whatever the case was, to hear that he was here, and now ranked in anything that put him in the top ten of the country, as well as being confessed to on the first day of the after summer break had me thoroughly impressed. I now had a new resolve: to track down Yamazaki Sousuke.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Reviews are love~**


	3. Leadoff Hitter

Something was troubling me. With my brows furrowed, I trudged through the school gates smelling heavily of herbs; medicinal patches covering almost every exposed inch of my skin. My entire body had ached so badly I literally had to haul myself up the stairs by the handrail. The softball coach was being brutal once again, and this something that was troubling me only added on to my burden.

Sousuke was a very elusive fellow. It was a week ago that I had set my mind on tracking him down once I discovered we attended the same high school, yet he was nowhere to be found. After asking around, I was able to find out what classroom he was in, however, he was never there during lunch. I was never able to catch him after class either since I had practice during that time and he most likely had his own swim meets to attend to. And waking up early to meet him was out of the question since all the physical activities I did left me exhausted-I needed as much sleep as I could get.

Climbing my way to the top of the stairs, my ears picked up a conversation being carried down the hall. "Hey, the girls in class 1-4 aren't that bad, don't you think?"

"Haruno-san is pretty popular. I heard she's having some trouble with her boyfriend so she might be up for grabs soon. Even the senpais will probably come running."

"Speaking of running, did you see Wakamiya-san running this morning again?" I froze. Were they talking about me? Peering around the corner, three male students were blocking the entryway to my class.

One of the guys laughed. "Yeah. She's cute but quite the handful. Sometimes her facial expressions can get pretty intense. Totally not my style."

"Isn't it because she's on the softball team that she's like that?"

"No it's because she's like that that she gets to be on the softball team," another joked. "I prefer someone more refined."

That seriously irked me. Squinting my eyes, I recognized Tanaka Ushio as the culprit carrying out all the less than pleasant commentary. A brunette, who I was guessing was on the swim team. Squaring my shoulders, hitching my book bag onto my shoulder, I marched down the hall before firmly stopping in front of the trio.

"Y'know, you guys really shouldn't be blocking the doorway. People need to get to class."

A dark shadow cast over Tanaka-san's face. "Ah... Wakamiya-san, you're... early?"

"Indeed I am U-shi-o-kun."

Brushing past them, I stomped to the back of the class and plopped myself into my seat.

"Morning Himari. You're early- Hey, you look kind of pissed."

I greeted Futaba promptly and detailed her on what happened. Upon hearing this, her expression went from surprise to disgust, in which she promptly swiveled in her seat to glare at the boys in the doorway. Their immediate response was to shrink back and scurry to their seats. Resting my chin in my palm, I smirked at them. Never underestimate the intimidation of softball girls. Ten minutes later, the class representative led the students in greeting Nakanishi-sensei as he entered.

"So the Cultural Festival is coming soon which means that we'll be needing representatives for our class in the committee. Is there anyone who would like to volunteer? I'll need one boy and one girl."

This was my chance, I thought. I immediately shot my hand in the air.

"Amazing, Wakamiya-san. Is this to make up for all the tardies you've had so far?" Nakanishi-sensei joked. "Now that we have a girl we'll need a boy."

"Sensei. I'd like to volunteer Tanaka Ushio-kun. He knows quite a lot about refined things and should be able to lead us well." Turning to Tanaka-san, I shot him a venomous grin,

causing his face to turn ghastly. The rest of the class jumped to vote for him as well; anything to prevent them from doing extra work. I shot Futaba a thumbs-up, and she moved her hand to smother a laugh bubbling in her throat.

"Alright then, it's been decided. Tanaka-san, Wakamiya-san, please meet in room 3-5 after school. Now let's get class started."

* * *

The two of us sat in 3-5 waiting for the rest of the committee members to arrive. The student council had arrived early to rearrange the desks in a ring. Ushio-kun, as I had now decided to call him, sat stiffly beside me, jumping every time I so much as made a movement. I felt a bit guilty for scaring the poor fellow.

"Listen, Ushio-kun," I sighed. "It's okay to relax a bit. I won't bite."

"I-I-I'm not scared, Wakamiya-san. This is just how I normally am."

"Himari is fine. I prefer things nice and direct. We're both representing our class so it's good if we familiarize with each other. If you're worried about this morning I'm over it. This was pretty much my little revenge."

With his fists balled up in his lap, he turned his head away as a blush dusted over his cheeks. "W-Whatever."

Two-by-two students filed in, representing every class from first years to third years. When it appeared that the majority of the members were present, the meeting finally commenced. The student council took attendance of the people present, with only one person missing. Deciding not to dwell on the absence, they gave us a briefing on the responsibilities of the festival committee, how the budget was to be decided, the dates of when certain polls were due. This continued for almost an hour when the door slid open. A tall boy filled up the doorway. He had cropped black hair, seafoam eyes, and broad shoulders. I blinked once, then twice. For some odd reason, he looked very similar to-

"Sorry, I got lost," the boy said with a bow.

Sousuke.

"Yes, yes," the President said with furrowed brows. "Please take a seat anywhere. Ask your partner for the details after the meeting."

Sousuke bowed again, and after raising his head our eyes met. A small smile formed at the corner of his mouth. An electric spark zapped down my spine before bursting and running its currents throughout the rest of my nerves. I could feel the heat rising to my face. Realizing my mouth was agape, I immediately shut it and returned my attention to the President, although that did nothing. There was no way I could concentrate now.

My eyes naturally shifted back to Sousuke who sat in the back of the room. He had seriously grown so much. At one point we were practically the same height, but now he looked almost a foot taller than me. From underneath his uniform, it appeared that he developed muscles in every place imaginable. His top two buttons were undone, revealing a peek of his collarbones. And the eyes that I was once so familiar with were staring intently at me. Lady killer. Feeling my face turn even redder than before, I averted my gaze and took a breath to calm myself down. This was not how I pictured myself tracking down Sousuke. And this was definitely not how I imagined myself reacting.

The meeting was adjourned not long after, however, I wasn't able to retain much information. Lagging behind the rest of the crowd as they filtered out of the room, I found Sousuke waiting by the door, rolling his right shoulder.

"Sousuke!" I dropped my bag and papers before headbutting him in the chest and wrapping my arms around his waist, squeezing tight. "Sousuke! Sousuke! It's been way too long!"

"Yo, Himari. That kind of hurts," he said with a chuckle. The sound reverberated through both our bodies. His voice got so much deeper too. He was nothing like the kid I grew up with.

Releasing him, I beamed up at his face. "Dude. It's been ages. What are you doing here in Tokyo? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, we didn't have phones back then so we never exchanged numbers. And plus you moved so I never got your address. But it seems you haven't changed at all."

"What do you mean? I definitely grew taller."

"Sorry, sorry," he apologized with a smile. "Anyways, I see you grew out your hair."

"Urgh." A brief image of short hair tickling the nape of my neck flashed in my mind. I used to be mistaken for a boy so many times in my elementary days. I coughed and changed the subject. "So... you still do swimming, huh? Congrats on nationals by the way."

"Thanks. I'm guessing you do sports too? I see you running a lot in the mornings. Are you on track?"

"You mean... you see me running late for school?"

"Yeah."

My face flushed red with embarrassment. "Uh... I do softball. Anyways... I gotta get to practice or the senpais are going to throw a fit. Let's catch up at the next meeting!"

"Wait, I'll walk you. The pool is on the way."

"Just like old times, huh?"

"You bet."

"By the way, was that you getting confessed to on the first day after summer break?"

It was his turn to flush red. "Um, yeah. That was you at the vending machine right? Why did you run?"

"Out of embarrassment obviously! And you were all like, 'Oi. Bobcut.' I ran out of embarrassment and fear. I wasn't expecting the Yamazaki-kun of the swim club to be you. Had I known I would have stayed and chewed you out for making a girl cry! That's so mean."

"Hey, hey, hey. You got it all wrong. I tried to reject her as nicely as possible. But she still cried. Sometimes you can't avoid it."

"...How many people have confessed to you this year already?"

"No comment."

* * *

"Hey." Futaba stabbed a sausage octopus and stuffed it into her mouth. She chewed a bit too forcefully. "Since when did you know Yamazaki-kun?"

"Huh?"

"The entire team was talking about how he walked you to practice the other day! Apparently, I missed it. How did that development happen? A week ago I thought you didn't even know him. Are you two dating already?"

I spat out the wad of bread in my mouth. "What?"

"Don't lie to me, Himari. Spill."

"You got it all wrong. We went to the same elementary school and just so happened to meet up again at the committee meeting."

She narrowed her eyes as she picked up a slice of rolled egg. "Is that all? I've seen you lingering behind after practice before. My house is in the opposite direction of yours so I wouldn't know but..."

"Well... we go home together sometimes too." Futaba's mouth opened wide as if she were about to shout something. "Wait! Before you yell! It's only because we kept running into each other on the way home that we found out we happen to live in the same neighborhood. It's just a coincidence! And plus, he stays late most of the time to practice longer. So it's only sometimes."

"I don't even know what to say. Before you know it, he's going to be waking you up for school too- Actually, that's not a bad idea. That way you won't be late all the time." Futaba laughed to herself at the thought. "Y'know I'm just teasing you right, Himari? He seems a bit too macho for my liking. But you just gotta be careful about his batshit crazy fan club. I'm sure they won't mess with you since you got us backing you up," she smacked her bicep to emphasize the whole softball team was behind her on this, "but that doesn't mean they won't try."

"Thanks for your concern, Futaba. But really there's nothing to worry about."

"Sure, sure."

* * *

Thanks for reading!

Reviews are love~


	4. Pitchout

Maybe Futaba was a fortune teller. That thought came to me as my phone went off at the ungodly hour of seven A.M. Answering the call, I mumbled something unintelligible into the receiver before flopping my head back onto the pillow.

"Oi. Wake up." It was Sousuke.

I hung up without bothering to reply.

The phone sounded off again. And again. And again. Until I finally groaned and sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes.

"What," I hissed.

"Are you up now?"

I groaned. "Now I am."

"Good. See you at school."

I flopped my head onto the pillow once again, looking forward to at least another hour of blissful, undistrubed sleep. Only twenty minutes had passed before my doorbell rang once, resonating throughout the apartment complex. Then it rang for a second time, then a third, before ringing at a pace where there were no breaks in between. The noise shook me out of bed, making me storm down the hall and swing the door wide open in a fury.

"Are you serious?!"

"Morning, Himari," he greeted, waltzing right in. "Cute pajamas."

I wailed, "Why are you doing this to me?"

"If I let you sleep you're just going to be late again. I met your mom the other night after we had parted ways. We talked for a bit. I haven't seen her in a couple years. Since we live in the same neighborhood, she actually asked me to start waking you up."

"Even if she did ask, couldn't you have said no? Or just lie and say okay and just leave me to sleep?"

Sousuke shook his head. "I can't do that to your mom. She used to always take care of me when we were kids. And I don't really care either way. Now go get ready or else the both of us are going to be late."

I groaned once again before stomping off into the bathroom. Minutes later I emerged before heading into my room to put on my uniform. All the while Sousuke made himself comfortable on the couch flipping through his phone. Maybe if I were Futaba or another girl, I would be freaking out at the thought of having Sousuke in my living room and walking me to school. But this was just plain old Sousuke. We were childhood friends. What development could come out of this? That didn't stop the blood rushing to my cheeks and forming a faint blush, however. I blamed Futaba and her insistent suspicion that made me this self-aware. We were just childhood friends, right?

The bus ride was peaceful aside from my head lolling everywhere as I tried to catch a few extra minutes of sleep. At one point my head smacked into Sousuke's right shoulder causing him to hiss in pain. That woke me up instantly. I spewed a string of apologies, yet he only shook his head and wave me off.

"Sorry, Sousuke," I apologized again as we entered the school and walked towards our lockers.

"It's alright. It's not your fault."

"But it is! My head is as heavy as a boulder, I've been told."

A chuckle rumbled from his chest, reverberating through the air, causing a warmth to fill me. "Alright. Anyways, I'll see you at the meeting, yeah?"

"Yup," I answered as I stepped into my white slippers. With a wave, Sousuke left. A few girls followed behind him, all heart eyes. A tinge sparked in my chest. I frowned. Why?

As I entered the classroom, I saw Futaba perched at her desk, with chin rested in palm as she smiled eerily at me. "I saw."

Acting as if I was unphased, I placed my bookbag down on the desk beside her. "Saw what?"

"You and Yamazaki-kun walking to school together."

"Yeah? Well, it's normal for friends to walk to school together, Futaba."

"You say that now but he might be thinking something else. The Yamazaki-kun who doesn't care about anything suddenly starts walking you to and from school? You can't say there's nothing there. Don't you feel something here," she placed a hand on her chest.

"Actually, I think I do."

Futaba almost fell out of her seat. "Wait, really? I was joking."

"I was joking too."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "You seriously scared me, Himari! You know I support you whole-heartedly with whatever you do, even if it's kind of stupid. But that Sousuke I've heard has a heart of steel."

"How so?"

"He's rejected every girl who's ever confessed to him before. Especially after he made it to nationals, his popularity skyrocketed. I heard from the boys that he gets confessed to at least once a week. At a school this big it's not hard to believe either."

"Say, have you met anyone in his fan club before?"

"Are you really going to go up against them," she asked in shock.

"No. I'm just a bit curious."

Futaba glanced around the room before leaning close. "I heard one of the third year's on the girl's swim team is president. And there's a rumor going around that Haruno-san in the next class is a member. Mai-chan told me that she broke up with her boyfriend just because their class recently changed seating arrangements and she now sits next to Sousuke."

"Scary."

"I know. Be careful out there, Himari. Even if you guys are just friends, people might misunderstand."

"I know, I know."

* * *

The sports day and cultural festival dates had been decided. The events would take place two weeks from now, on the first weekend of October. Committee members had already surveyed their respective classes on what they would do, and the clubs who wanted to participate had filled out submission forms for booths and such. Preparations were underway. Whipping out my phone, I sent a quick text to Kisumi, inviting him and the rest of his friends to the cultural festival.

"Excuse me," a soft voice announced as she slid the door open to room 3-5. The girl had a petite figure with a generous chest and a hefty amount of blonde hair that seemed to cascade down her back in waves. "I'm looking for Sousuke-kun. I heard that he was a part of the committee."

"H-Haruno-san!" Ushio-kun made his way to her a bit too speedily, tripping over posters and balls of threads. "Yamazaki went to the storage room to get some more supplies. I can take you there if you want-"

"No it's fine. Thank you." She bowed before leaving.

"Hey, Himari-san," the president called from across the classroom. "Actually, I forgot to tell Sousuke to get the buckets of paint as well. Could you go get it?"

Missing the exchange entirely since I was too preoccupied with texting Kisumi, I stowed my phone away before replying, "Sure thing."

Ushio-kun's bottom lip was jutted out and the gap between his brows were knit into a worrisome wrinkle. His sulking face wasn't that bad. I wasn't sure what was troubling him, but I gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder as I walked by.

"Uh! Himari-san!"

"Yeah?"

"Actually, if you see Sousuke in there struggling with any boxes, could you call me over? I'll help."

"Sousuke needing help? Why? He's a big guy."

"He injured his shoulder pretty bad during summer. He was out of practice for over a month and I don't think he's recovered either. We're both on the swim team so I don't mind helping out if its him."

Sousuke injured his shoulder? No way. How could he keep such a huge issue from me? Regardless, I nodded to as I picked up my pace as made way to the storage room at the end of the hall. Ushio-kun was a pretty reliable guy after all.

"He's one of the only chick-magnets on the team," he called after me. "Without him, no cute girls are going to show up at our practice!" Scratch that.

But there was no way, right? I was with Sousuke almost everyday. If his shoulder was injured that badly then that was pretty much impossible to hide it. But now that I thought about it, I did hit him this morning on accident and he did seem to be in a lot of pain. I had to find out.

"Sousuke!" I shouted as I slid the door open.

Upon opening the door, however, I had unraveled a scene I could only gawk at. Although I did find Sousuke in the room, he was not alone. The idolized Haruno-san that practically all the guys fawned over had her arms wrapped around Sousuke's neck, and they were pressed chest to chest. The thought of Sousuke and his injured shoulder completely left my mind with this intimate sight.

The only thing I was exceptionally well at was being awkward, and being awkward was what I did. Spotting the cans of paint right by their feet, I toed around the edge of the room, avoiding eye contact at all costs. "D-Don't mind me. I'm just here to get some paint. I'll be out quick."

"No worries," Haruno-san said as she unwound her arms from Sousuke. "I was just leaving. See you later, Sousuke-kun."

Haruno-san passed by breezily, her scent filled the immediate proximity of cherries and flowers. One whiff of the floral concoction almost made me gag. Last time I checked, perfume was against school regulations because of allergies and whatnot.

Being left alone with Sousuke, I was put into an even more awkward position than I had started with. What am I supposed to say in this type of situation? Was I supposed to leave and come back for the paint later? But then if I returned to the committee room empty-handed the president would wonder what I was doing the entire time-

"Himari. It's not what you think."

"Huh? Um you don't need to explain to me Sousuke." I honestly did not want to hear all the juicy details on how they even got into such a position. Please spare me the embarrassment. "It's not like I care. If you're worried about me telling other people about it, I won't. You know me, Sousuke-"

"That's not it."

I was surprised by him cutting me off. Sousuke usually wasn't the one to rush things. "Then what is it?"

"I..."

"Sousuke. I don't get what you're trying to say."

Finally taking a peek at him, Sousuke had his back turned to me, but his ears were undoubtedly beet red. Strange. But maybe he was just acting this way because I caught him with Haruno-san. If I already felt embarrassed, then he probably felt ten times that.

"I don't get what I'm trying to say either. Nevermind."

"Uhh... alright then."

Shrugging, I walked over towards his side of the room to pick up the cans of paint. There were five cans in total, all of various colors. I would probably have to make a second trip. Stooping down to pick up the cans, I was contemplating how many I could physically carry back to the committee room, when suddenly-

Slam. My eyes went wide. Out of my periphery, Sousuke was standing extremely close to me, with his left hand resting on the wall beside my head. Woah. Something in my chest was stuttering wildly. What was this feeling? When I finally turned towards him, I was met with furrowed brows and an obvious frown. His ears were tinged red.

"Sorry, I lied."

Why was he acting like this all of a sudden? I was seriously confused. I stood there searching his seafoam eyes. This position was a lot more intimate that I initially realized. With my back against the wall, Sousuke hovering over me, and now with both of his hands on either side of my head. This was the infamous... kabe-don? I was in a very precarious situation.

"Umm. Are you okay, Sousuke?"

"The truth is..."

"The truth?" What did he mean by that? That he and Haruno-san were actually going out? That he was actually afraid that I would tell people? What-

"The truth is... that I like you."

What.

* * *

Thanks for reading!

Reviews are love~


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